Life Is Not Fair, But There's Always A Chance
by Sakura Moon
Summary: Full Title: Life is Not Fair, But There's Always A Chance For Happiness. Ryou laments his thoughts and feelings for Ichigo, but always felt like he could never get what he wanted because life is not fair. Will he get a chance to be happy?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Life Is Not Fair, But There Is Always A Chance for Happiness.**

Author: Sakura Moon

Disclaimer: I do not own this cause if I do, I would have made Ichigo paired up with Ryou instead.

Chapter 01

Life has not always been fair to him. Ryou will admit to that. With his parents' death and all this shit that has been happening with him—looking after five girls while making sure that they do not die on his watch, running a café aimed toward teenage girls, the girl he is crushing on is crushing on 'Mr. Perfect', it seems like nothing can get any worse than that. In fact, it does not look like it will get better.

Lounging on his comfrey chair, Ryou frowned. Pencil tapping across the sheet that was lying on the table. Statistics, calculations and probability written all over the sheet--waiting for him to do his thing. His eye caught sight of a picture frame. Ryou picked it up. The corners of his frown slowly went up; if only a little. The picture was of him and the girls; out on their few special occasions. Ryou's thumb caressed gently on the image of the red-haired girl from the group. 'Ichigo….' His eyebrows frowned as he remembered the stabs of pain he received from her every time she mentioned Mayasa all while complaining and moaning about how he, Ryou Shirogane, was nothing but a complete arrogant—she forgot to mention handsome Ryou noted—bastard who was stingy with money all because he would not give her a raise that she demanded from him.

'You just want money so you can spend more time doing frivolous things with _him_, don't you?' Ryou mentally sneered at that thought.

Just once, he wants to have something in his life. Sure his Mew Project worked and all but that was mostly for the benefit of the world rather than for him. 'This is just an infatuation. Nothing more, nothing less. I am after all a teenage guy with hormones. I can't really prevent that.' Ryou reminded himself; strengthening his resolution as he leaves his mathematical work and head into the parlor where he would face his obstacle of getting over this ridiculous phrase.

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Many months had passed and not once did Ryou Shirogane thought of Ichigo at all. Nope, not once. At least that was what Ryou would like to claim. He thought that he had gotten over with Ichigo. But it was not until the revelation of the Blue Knight and what happen following that did it shook him to his very core.

The day of damnation occurred just right when he was sitting in one of the chairs in the café watching the other girls performed their tasks.

"Oh my gosh!" A loud squeal from Pudding. "So are you guys a couple or something?" Ryou raised an eyebrow in curiosity as it seems that he was forgotten by the other girls. Still, he could not help but wondered who was with whom.

Ryou was sipping his tea when he received his answer. "Yeah. Masaya and I are together now." He nearly wanted to spit out his tea when he heard that it came from Ichigo's mouth, but pride and dignity restrained him from doing so.

"When did this happen?" Mint glanced from her tea cup and stared unwaveringly at Ichigo.

"Just yesterday. After that battle we had and he revealed to us his other identity." Happiness radiated from Ichigo as she started to go off into her dreamland. 'Probably reminiscing about that date she had yesterday.' Ryou grumbled remembering how much she demanded to leave early because she had something to do.

As Ichigo recalled her dream date, numerous excruciating pains hit Ryou. Removing himself from the audience, he went to his room; curious as to why he feels like he was being stabbed really hard with plastic forks. Closing the door behind him, Ryou sagged against it. 'Why. Why is it happening right now?' He clenched his heart as he closed his eyes. 'My heart shouldn't be hurting this bad.' For once, he truly felt lonely as he succumbed to darkness; forgetting that the world continued to move without him on the first floor.

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Author's Note: Depending on the # of reviews, I might or might not continue this as this was really a spur of the moment. Unlike my previous stories, this one will probably be short as it's just a story without a plot. If I do continue this, this story might be about 3 chapters. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Life is not fair, but there is always a Chance for Happiness**

Author: Sakura Moon

Disclaimer: I do not own this cause if I do, I would have made Ichigo paired up with Ryou instead.

Chapter 02

Time passed by slowly for Ryou after Ichigo made her announcement. But for the first few weeks, he was in a predicament. 'Is it right to take away that happiness for the sake of having my own happiness?' Ryou placed his hands on his head as he sagged against his chair.

"Is there something that bothers you Shirogane-san?" Light and feminine, but laced with concern and worry.

Ryou turned to the source of the voice. Placing on a façade as if nothing was bothering him, Ryou looked at Lettuce. "No, there's nothing that's bothering me Lettuce. But thank you for your concern." Ryou looked at Lettuce, noting the anxious concern she had for him. 'Perhaps…,' Ryou thought as he pondered about her actions and her behavior around him. 'No. No it's too soon to think about that.' Turning to Lettuce, who stood there patiently, he remained his cool self. "If you excuse me, I'll be heading up to my room now. Tell the others to continue their tasks and that two of them should close the café. It doesn't matter who does it as long as there are two of you to do so."

While on his way to his room, Ryou was stopped by Keiichiro who grabbed his arm. Keiichiro looked at Ryou in the eye. "Life always moves on. Whether you want to or not, it's your choice." Then without saying any further, Keiichiro let go of Ryou and went downstairs.

Flabbergasted, Ryou continued heading into his room. Once he shut the door, he was in a dazed as he went to his bed and flopped on it. 'What did he meant by whether it's my choice to move on or not. Surely he wasn't talking about Ichigo was he? I'm not that transparent am I?'

"But I don't know if I can stay like this anymore…." Ryou groaned in frustration. "Maybe this is what he meant by moving on." He got up from his bed as he went to his desk. Ryou picked up a photo of him and the group.

'Lettuce…'

She was such a nice girl. Ryou admitted that. 'But…I don't know if I could have anything with her.' He was not as dense as to not to notice her behavior around him; how she often stuttered when she was nervous. "I should give it a chance. After all…I can't have the one I want."

With a firm resolution in mind he went downstairs to talk to Lettuce; ignoring the heaviness of his heart.

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Author's Note: Hmm, the muse bug hit me when I wrote it--so I had no choice but to write it. But now it's gone. So I don't know if I'm going to have the last chapter up or not. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Life is Not Fair, But There's Always a Second Chance**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters.

_Chapter 3_

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A couple of years had passed since Ryou had made that life-alternating decision. Yet…nothing had changed at all. In fact, life has gotten worst for him.

"What do you think of this one?"

His head snapped up to the owner of the voice. He then remembered that currently, he was on a _date_ with Lettuce for their two-year anniversary. Seeing the bright sparkles in her eyes and how it shone, Ryou felt an immerse guilt coursing through him. Nothing has changed. Including his feelings for Lettuce and Ichigo. But…is his delusional thinking worth the happiness of an another? Could he continue leading on Lettuce with misconceptions of his supposed _feelings_ for her? Could he continue to delusion himself into thinking that perhaps someday, he will reciprocates those _feelings_ back?

No…no he couldn't. That would be too cruel of him. Ryou sighed internally. This has gone far long enough. He…he can't keep this up any longer. As the saying goes, "Absence makes the heart grows fonder." He let out a chuckle. Now he knows that saying is true.

For the past two years, he had kept the pretence of the stingy boss who never gives her the raise. But somewhere along their playful teasing, there was a deep sense of connection. At least that was what he felt. Still…he knew now that he has fallen even deeper for Ichigo than he had two years ago.

He knows now what to do. He looked up and said,

"We need to talk…Lettuce."

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Ryou supposed he should have broken up with Lettuce on a day that was not their anniversary as he glanced around the basement. Faint mumblings from upstairs were barely heard, but thanks to the feline DNA, he was able to guess what those girls were talking about.

Well, there was nothing he could do about it. He felt bad enough to have already falsify Lettuce's hopes and dreams, but it was the right thing to do. Getting up from his chair, he locked the door. He doesn't need a feisty red-head badgering on him for his _crime_.

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It was several weeks later. Things had slightly calmed down at the café. He no longer receives hostile glances from his employees or hears that disappointing sigh coming from his friend slash brother. Twirling around his tea, Ryou placed his feet on the nearest seat. The café was empty. No one but him. Well, there's Keichrio. Earlier that day, Ryou had allowed the girls to take the rest of the afternoon off. Mainly because they won't stop gossiping about Ichigo's upcoming date.

Ryou leaned back on his recliner seat in the basement. Now that he thinks about it, Ichigo hasn't gotten up on his face about breaking Lettuce's heart.

The door suddenly opened. The sound of its impact echoed throughout the basement. A blur of pink and red nearly bowled over to where he was, but stopped within an inch distance. He felt himself picked up, though he could tell that his attacker was barely holding on to him.

"Why?! Why did you have to go do that to her?!" His attacker yelled. Tears were running down her face.

Ryou couldn't stand looking at those eyes. The way they were shining with grief. The pain he had caused to her—indirectly. He spoke softly. "I don't wish to lead her on…." 'Anymore…Ichigo'. Ryou thought, keeping that one to himself because he knows that if he had said this, things will become worst.

Ichigo was confused. "Lead her on?" Eyes slightly widen, mouth gaping. "LEAD. HER. ON.?!" Disbelief was truly shown on her face. "How could you lead her on? Didn't the years mean anything to you?" Ichigo took it further. "Anything at all."

His eyes pierced through her, though not as much as his next words did. "Nothing." Ichigo gasped, not understanding why. "Nothing at all Ichigo." There, he said it.

"Why?" Her voice wavered as raw emotions of sadness for her dear friend, whom she considered as her sister. "After all these years…_why_?"

'This is it,' Ryou told himself. 'It's now or never.' He stepped closer to Ichigo. "Because…I'm in love…," he watched her eyes grew wider and her hands shook. "with you."

Ichigo was petrified. And yet, a couple of words left her mouth. Words that want to know the truth to this _madness_. "Why me? Aren't we supposed to be pests to each other?"

He only smiled, though it was in sadness as he clearly saw the pain he inflicted upon her. "Think back to all those times where it would be just us. You'll find your answer there." He whispered to her. His gut instinct informed him that she would remember all those moments that they had spent together. His gut instincts had never failed him. "I'll be in my room if you need me." Ryou left her standing in her spot, never looking back.

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Sometime later, Ichigo did come back. Just like he knew she would. "So?" Ryou said to her from his bed.

Ichigo stormed up to him, her face flushed. "This doesn't mean anything Shirogane! I'm still with Masaya…but…," There she turned her face away from him. "…I'll give you a second chance." Ryou smirked at that. "Don't think this mean anything, but it's not!" Ichigo screamed.

"Don't worry, I'll steal him away from you if I have to," Ryou stood up from his bed and walked over her. Without warning, he hugged her. Dipping his mouth close to her eye, he whispered. "Thanks for giving me a second chance."

_~Finis~_

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**AN:** Ok, for clarification, Ichigo is not the type she would cheat on her boyfriend. All she is giving Ryou is a second chance at their relationship—meaning he can go from being a pest to actually being a friend. Now, whether Ryou woos Ichigo and cause her to change her feelings, it's another story. It's been so long since I write for this fandom honestly. Could anyone rec me a good Ryou/Ichigo story?


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